y came the miracle, like the flashing out of a new star,
whose radiance they felt but could not see, like a burst of music whose
harmony they felt but could not hear. And as they stood there alone in
all that simple glory of sky and earth and sea, they knew all in an
instant that THEY WERE FOR EACH OTHER, forever and forever, for better
or for worse, till death should them part. Into their romance, into
their world of little things, their joys of the moment, their happiness
of the hour, had suddenly descended a great and lasting joy, the
happiness of the great, grave issues of life--a happiness so deep, so
intense, as to thrill them with a sense of solemnity and wonder.
Instead of being the end, that New Year's Day was but the
beginning--the beginning of their real romance. All the fine, virile,
masculine energy of him was aroused and rampant. All her sweet, strong
womanliness had been suddenly deepened and broadened. In fine, he had
become a man, and she woman. Youth, life, and the love of man and
woman, the strength of the hills, the depth of the ocean, and the
beauty of the sky at sunset; that was what the New Year had brought to
them.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"It's good-by, dear, isn't it?" said Blix.

But Condy would not have it so.

"No, no," he told her; "no, Blix; no matter how often we separate after
this wonderful New Year's Day, no matter how far we are apart, WE two
shall never, never say good-by."

"Oh, you're right, you're right!" she answered, the tears beginning to
shine in her little dark-brown eyes. "No; so long as we love each
other, nothing matters. There's no such thing as distance for us, is
there? Just think, you will be here on the shores of the Pacific, and I
on the shores of the Atlantic, but the whole continent can't come
between US."

"And we'll be together again, Blix," he said; "and it won't be very
long now. Just give me time--a few years now."

"But so long as we love each other, TIME won't matter either."

"What are the tears for, Blixy?" he asked, pressing his handkerchief to
her cheek.

"Because this is the saddest and happiest day of my life," she
answered. Then she pulled from him with a little laugh, adding: "Look,
Condy, you've dropped your letter. You pulled it out just now with
your handkerchief."

As Condy picked it up, she noted the name of the Centennial Company
upon the corner.

"It's the letter I got with the manuscript of